Note from the editor: While our headquarters is in New York, Ketchum is a global agency. Please indulge our U.S.-based team of summer fellows to share in their love of one of the foods that’s associated with our 4th of July holiday. If you live outside the states, please let me know about your country’s hallmark holiday foods and we will gladly feature your story on @ppetite. Amy

Fourth of July weekend is always one of my favorite times of the year. There are so many reasons why this last weekend was amazing – family, friends, fresh air, but one dish really sets the holiday apart. We’re all obliged to indulge in a hot diggity dog.

I love this entree option, but it did make me wonder – where did the delicious dog come from? According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, “Sausage is one of the oldest forms of processed food, having been mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey as far back as the 9th Century B.C.” There is still some debate as to whether Frankfurt-am-Main in Germany created the hot dog or Johann Georghehner (a butcher living in Colburg, Germany) but it is believed that the North American hot dog was inspired by the different variations of European sausage from butchers of all nationalities.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, we at Ketchum wanted to embrace some hometown favorites from past Fourths!

Frank First

As a proper Bostonian, I have to boast about our ballgame treat – The Fenway Frank. I’ve found there’s no place better to get a hot dog in the city. Don’t worry, locals don’t order “a frank” we still order it as a “hot dog”.

Fenway Park – Home of the Red Sox and the Frank!

Jacksonville’s Gem

Olivia Wilson, Ketchum’s San Francisco’s Brand team Summer Fellow, recommends Hot Dog Hut for all visitors in the Jacksonville area. “My favorite place to get a hot dog is in Jacksonville Beach, Fla – Hot Dog Hut! It’s a super cute little hut right off the main drag of beach bars and about a block from the Pier. They have tons of toppings but personally I tend to stick with a simple hot dog with onions and ketchup! Definite must try if you’re in Northeast Florida.”

Park Dog

Alyson Barnes, Senior Account Executive in Ketchum West’s Food & Nutrition Practice Group, can vouch that the ball parks she’s visited have lived up to expectations: “Nothing says summer has arrived quite like the first bite of a hot dog at a baseball stadium. From Skyline in Cincy, Nathan’s in the Bronx, and brats here in SF, the hot dogs around the league are as diverse as the teams themselves!”

Alyson’s own shot of her favorite ballgame treat!

Dressing Up the Dog Across the Pond

If you won’t be stateside for America’s birthday, London has a pretty phenomenal option. Bubbledogs is a very small restaurant that specializes in gourmet hot dogs and champagne. It sounds like a crazy combination, but I highly recommend it! Just be sure to make a reservation in advance.

A fancy twist from across the pond

Hot dogs are an integral part of American culture. Did you know “Hot Dog” was Mickey Mouse’s first spoken word? Whether you were in a ball park or a backyard, we hope you enjoyed the dish of the day!